Geotech SCPT-GS2 User manual

SCPT-GS2 GEOTECH NOVA Manual 2018-08-28
USERS MANUAL
SCPT-GS2 GEOTECH NOVA
(Seismic Cone Penetration Testing, 2 Sensor Sets)
Ingenjörsfirman Geotech AB
Datavägen 53
SE-436 32 ASKIM (Göteborg)
Sweden
Ph: +46 - 31 28 99 20
Fax:[phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
www.geotech.eu
Published date: 2018-08-28

SCPT-GS2 GEOTECH NOVA Manual 2018-08-28
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SCPT-GS2 GEOTECH NOVA Manual 2018-08-28
Table of Contents
1 General Information 1
Foreword ................................................................................................................. 1
Safety ...................................................................................................................... 1
2 Product Information 2
General Description ................................................................................................ 2
Intended use ........................................................................................................... 4
System components overview ................................................................................ 5
In the hole equipment.............................................................................................. 9
Data collection equipment ..................................................................................... 13
Wave generation ................................................................................................... 15
3 Preparations 16
Cable from probe/cable adapter ........................................................................... 16
Assembly of adapter and probe ............................................................................ 17
Preparations for shear wave testing (S wave) ...................................................... 17
Preparations for compression wave testing (P wave) ........................................... 18
4 Performing a test 18
5 After test 19
Immediate actions ................................................................................................. 19
6 Installation and system maintenance 20
Installation ............................................................................................................. 20
Authorized Workshops .......................................................................................... 21
Trouble Shooting ................................................................................................... 21
Notes 22
DOCUMENT HISTORY
Date Comment Sign
2016-12-02 New document for review mcn
2016-12-22 Revised product structure, descriptions and instructions. Added pictures. mcn
2017-09-22 Added picture to front page. Dimensions added (fig. 7). mcn
2018-08-28 Added picture (fig. 5) mcn

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General Information
1 General Information
Foreword
This manual contains important information for the proper use and safe operation of seismic add-on equip-
ment to the CPT GEOTECH NOVA System.
Read the manual carefully before you start operating the system. Also read the maintenance instructions
before performing any maintenance work. The warranty from Ingenjörsfirman Geotech AB (Geotech) is
only valid if the instructions in this manual are followed.
Always keep the manual at the equipment and replace it immediately if it should become wholly or partially
unusable. A new copy can always be ordered from Ingenjörsfirman Geotech AB.
Content
The information in this publication is on the basis of information that was available at the time that the
publication was written.
The information can change at any time. Geotech reserves the right to change or update the content of the
manual without prior notice.
Safety
The operator must be alert to potential hazards. The operator should also have the necessary training,
skills and tools to perform these functions properly.
The important safety messages in this manual are presented as follows:
Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will result in death or serious injury.
Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.
Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided could result in minor or moderate injury.
This warning identifies important messages in this manual, e.g. information on risk for costly dam-
age. Carefully read the message and inform your colleagues.

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2 Product Information
General Description
Seismic tests are primarily carried out to measure wave velocities in soil. The SCPT method combines the
shear wave (S wave) speed information from the seismic test with results from the CPTU probe, and will
give you a good basis for evaluation of a number of critical soil properties, e.g. the risk for liquefaction.
The SCPT-GS2 GEOTECH NOVA adapter is equipped with two sets of very sensitive 3-axial seismic sen-
sors that are mounted with a fixed distance from each other (normally 1 meter). Data processing takes
place in the down-hole seismic adapter. The data is transferred to the surface equipment on digital form,
without test results being affected by noise or cable properties. The well-defined distance between sensors
and down-hole analogue/digital conversion gives high accuracy and repeatability.
Please refer to separate literature for detailed information on scientific background and evaluation methods.
GEOTECH NOVA is a modularly designed product family for user-friendly, robust and accurate CPT,
CPTU, Seismic CPT (SCPT), Electric Conductivity CPT and Vane Test soil investigations. This manual
concentrates on seismic features. Please refer to separate documents for descriptions of CPT/CPTU, Elec-
tronic Conductivity CPT and Vane Testing.
The SCPT down-hole assembly typically comprises a CPTU probe and a seismic adapter mounted on a
standard CPT rod. The CPTU probe gives accurate measurements of cone resistance (Qc), sleeve friction
(fs) and pore pressure (u). Options for sintered pore pressure filters in u1 and u2 positions as well as slot
filters are available.
Fig. 1 – The CPT NOVA probes are designed for use on land as well as off shore, and give accurate
measurements of cone resistance (Qc), sleeve friction (fs) and pore pressure (u) (figure shows pore
pressure filter in standard position “u2”). In addition there is a built-in inclinometer.
The seismic wave is normally generated at the ground surface or at subsea applications on the seabed. A
modified sledgehammer and a metallic plate form a simple and reliable wave source for use on land:

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Product Information
Fig. 2 – Wave source for use on land based on a modified sledgehammer.
The seismic add-on adapter is to be connected immediately behind the CPT probe. The standard adapter
is intended for use together with “NOVA Probe”.
Fig. 3 – The SCPT-GS2 seismic adapter has two sets of 3-axial seismic sensors mounted on 1 m
fixed distance. You typically connect it behind the CPT NOVA CPTU probe.
The trigger signal is generated when the hammer is hit against the steel plate. The seismic signal is cap-
tured by the two sensors arrays of the seismic adapter, pre-processed and transferred to the SCPT-
LOG/GS2 software in the logging computer via the SCPT-GS2 interface (“SCPT Box”).
After processing in the probe, CPTU data are passed on to the CPT interface, which also receives depth
information, from a depth encoder. The CPT-LOG software in the logging computer communicates with the
CPT probe via the CPT interface and a separate cable. Data are presented simultaneously on the computer
screen as curves and digits.

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Fig. 4 – Typical system design for a GEOTECH SCPT system. The seismic signal is captured in the
SCPT adapter that communicates with the computer via the SCPT box and a USB cable. CPTU data
from the probe is passed on to the CPT interface where it is combined with depth encoder input.
The CPT interface communicates with your computer via a separate cable.
The seismic system can be delivered as add- on equipment to your existing CPT system or together with
CPTU equipment as a complete turn-key plug-and-play package.
Fig. 5 – The SCPT add-on system with modified hammer and two “S wave” bottom plates ready for
final test before delivery. Refer to separate manual for information on the basic CPTU system (not
on picture).
Intended use
GEOTECH CPT and SCPT equipment is designed for geotechnical site investigations, and may only be
used for this purpose. All other use is prohibited.

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Product Information
System components overview
Item No.
Item
Illustration
Description
In the hole equipment:
See sepa-
rate man-
ual
Probe CPT NOVA Electronic probe for test-
ing soil properties ac-
cording to the CPT and
CPTU methods.
Measures soil data while
being pushed through the
ground, e.g. point re-
sistance (qc), sleeve fric-
tion (fs) and pore water
pressure (u). Diameter 36
mm.
30018 SCPT-GS2 NOVA Seismic
Adapter
Pictured with 30019 cable adapter
(not included in 30018) attached to
top part of seismic adapter
The seismic adapter
comprises parts below:
 Bottom part (Adp1)
with one set of 3-ax-
ial seismic sensors
that connects to
Probe CPT NOVA,
 Distance pipe (Adp2)
 Internal cable GS2.
 Top part (Adp3) with
one set of 3-axial
seismic sensors.
Cable adapter 30019 to
be ordered separately.
Included
in 30018
SCPT-GS2 NOVA Adp1 Bottom part of seismic
adapter with one set of 3-
axial seismic sensors to
be connected to "probe
NOVA".
Diameter 36 mm.
Included
in 30018
SCPT-GS2 NOVA Adp2 Middle part (distance
pipe) of seismic adapter
GS2 for 1 meter between
sets of seismic sensors.
Diameter 36 mm.
Included
in 30018
Cable GS2 internal Cable inside middle part
of seismic adapter GS2
connecting top and bot-
tom part of seismic
adapter.
Included
in 30018
SCPT-GS2 NOVA Adp3 Top part of seismic
adapter GS2 with one set
of 3-axial seismic sen-
sors.

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Item No.
Item
Illustration
Description
30019 SCPT-GS2 Cable adapter Cable adapter for con-
nection to surface equip-
ment. Power supply and
data transmission
through the cable.
Diameter 36 mm. Conical
standard thread for CPT
rod. Normally delivered
permanently mounted on
top part of seismic
adapter upon delivery.
10758 Cable, from probe adapter Cable, from probe
adapter. Green, diameter
10.5 mm. 0.093kg/m. CE
conformity according to
Low Voltage Directive
LVD 2006/95/EC. RoHS.
(Connectors 10502 below
are mounted on cable
pictured).
10502 Set of connectors, probe-ca-
ble
Normally mounted on ca-
ble at delivery.
XXXXX
Transport case GS2
Picture will follow
Seismic wave generation:
10504 Hammer with electric trigger
contact.
Hammer with electric trig-
ger contact. Connector
for trigger signal to Seis-
mic box. Clamp for earth
connection of bottom
plate.
10503 Bottom plate, S Bottom plate for genera-
tion of share wave (S
wave).
Picture will follow
Semi-automatic wave
source available on re-
quest

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Product Information
Item No.
Item
Illustration
Description
SCPT surface equipment:
30027 SCPT-GS2 Interface “SCPT Box”. Connec-
tions for trigger pulse, ca-
ble from probe/adapter,
and for CPTU data to
CPT Interface. USB ca-
ble for connection to
computer included.
10850 Cable, acquisition box – in-
terface
Cable for connection of
the Seismic box to the
CPT-interface.
SCPT data acquisition and anal-
ysis software
Medium for software
delivery may change
without notice
30028 SCPT-LOG/GS2 SCPT logging software.
Right to use by named
customer on one com-
puter, licensed by owner
of all rights Ingenjörsfir-
man Geotech AB.
CPT rods etc.
07629 CPT sounding rod 36 STD CPT sounding rod for soil
investigation. For cable or
acoustic data transfer.
Properties of each part:
Diameter: 36 mm, conical
STD “Standard” thread.
Active length: 1000mm
Total length:1546 mm
incl. winding
Approx. weight: 6.75 kg
01826 CPT sounding rod 36
“Speedlock” (SPL)
CPT sounding rod for soil
investigation. For cable or
acoustic data transfer.
Properties of each part:
Diameter: 36 mm, conical
SPL thread. “Speedlock”.
Active length: 1000mm
Total length:1546 mm
incl. winding
Approx. weight: 6.75 kg

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Item No.
Item
Illustration
Description
12418 Friction reducer STD/STD
ring
To be mounted before
the first rod. Reduces the
friction between soil and
rod. 36mm STD/STD
threads.
12418 Friction reducer STD/SPL
ring
To be mounted before
the first rod. Reduces the
friction between soil and
rod. 36mm STD/SPL
threads.
02846 Scraper rubber Cleans the rod while pull-
ing it up.
24835 Transport case for rods Transport case for 1 m
rods. Dimensions: 113 x
27 x 22 cm. Weight 19.3
kg
The GEOTECH NOVA product range is being continuously developed and improved. We therefore reserve
the right to changes of the information above.

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Product Information
In the hole equipment
SCPT-GS2 NOVA Seismic Adapter
Fig. 6 – The SCPT-GS2 Seismic adapter consists of several parts and is to be mounted between the
probe and the rod. The top part is on the picture attached to the cable adapter for connection to the
down-hole cable for power supply and signal transmission.
The SCPT-GS2 GEOTECH NOVA Seismic Adapter is to be mounted between the CPTU probe and the
pushing rod. It comprises two sets of seismic 3-axial seismic sensors. Due to the current mechanical design,
this first version is not suitable for P wave detection. The distance between the sensor positions is normally
1 meter, but other distance pipes can be produced to customer’s specification. S-wave speed measurement
is very accurate due to well-defined distance between sensors and accurate electronics. Due to its length,
the seismic adapter is delivered in several parts:
 Bottom part (Adp1) with one set of 3-axial seismic sensors that connects to Probe CPT NOVA,
 Distance pipe (Adp2)
 Internal cable GS2.
 Top part (Adp3) with one set of 3-axial seismic sensors.
 Cable adapter 30019 for connection to the down-hole cable and 36 mm rod with conical standard CPT
thread. Normally delivered attached to Adp3.
Fig. 7 – SCPT-GS2 NOVA probe assembly. The seismic sensor sets are located inside the SCPT-
GS2 adapter (2), 1 m fixed distance apart. Other distances are available on request. Note that the
required cable adapter 30019 is not mounted on picture above. Refer to separate document for
description of the CPTU probe (1).

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Fig. 8 – SCPT-GS2 NOVA Adp1. Bottom part of seismic adapter with one set of 3-axial seismic sen-
sors to be connected to "probe NOVA". Diameter 36 mm.
Fig. 9 – SCPT-GS2 NOVA Adp2 and internal cable. This middle part (distance pipe) of seismic
adapter GS2 will give you 1 meter fixed distance between the two sets of seismic sensors. Other
distances are available on request. Diameter 36 mm. The cable inside the middle part of seismic
adapter GS2 connects top and bottom part of the seismic adapter.

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Product Information
Fig. 10 –The top part of the seismic adapter comprises one set of 3-axial seismic sensors.
SCPT-GS2 NOVA Cable Adapter
Fig. 11 – The cable adapter is normally delivered permanently attached to the top part of the seismic
adapter. It is to be mounted on a standard 36 mm CPT rod and connected to the down-hole cable.

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Cable from probe/cable adapter
The connection between the adapter and cable demands caution. Make sure that connectors fit to each
other properly before tightening the bolts. Before the other end of the cable is connected to the SCPT-GS2
Interface, the LEMO adapter should be mounted on the connector.
Fig. 12 – The connection between the cable and the seismic adapter: Make sure that connectors fit
to each other properly before tightening the bolts.
Fig. 13 – Before the cable is connected to the SCPT-GS2 Interface in the other end, the LEMO
adapter should be mounted on the connector.

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Product Information
Data collection equipment
SCPT-GS2 Interface “ SCPT Box”
Fig. 14 – Connection of cables to the SCPT-GS2 Interface. Note that the old “Seismic Box” is not
compatible with the GS2 version (upgrade is possible).
CPT Interface cable
Note that the cable between the SCPT-GS2 Interface and the CPT Interface must have internal connection
to all pins (some “microphone cables” might not be fully connected). The signals from the CPTU probe are
passed on to the CPT interface without processing in the SCPT box. Old interfaces might need to be up-
graded.
CPT Inter-
face con-
nector pins
Function
A Power +12V
B Signal
C -
D Ground
E Reserved
F -
Computer/Laptop
Probe - Adapter
Trigger cable
(hammer)
CPT Interface

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Trigger cable (hammer)
The trigger input is normally open. A trigger pulse (closing) from the hammer will initiate the SCPT test.
Trigger con-
nector pins
Function
A Trigger upon grounding
B Ground
Fig. 15 – Block diagram for connection of a complete SCPT system.
SCPT-LOG/GS2 logging software
Fig. 16 – SCPT-LOG/GS2 logging software. Medium for software delivery is subject to change with-
out notice.
The SCPT-GS2 adapter and the SCPT-GS2 interface interact with the SCPT-LOG/GS2 software, installed
on your logging computer. The software has functions for setting up the system, performing tests and pre-
senting test results. For details please refer to separate manual.
The software is licensed to the named customer with right to use on one computer by owner of all rights
Ingenjörsfirman Geotech AB.

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Product Information
Wave generation
Sledge hammer
The hammer has one cable for connection to the SCPT Interface and one cable with a clamp for grounding
in the bottom plate.
Fig. 17 – Wave source for use on land based on a modified sledgehammer. Connections to SCPT-
GS2 Interface and for grounding in bottom plate.
Bottom plate “S wave”
Target and grounding clamp surfaces should be cleaned from possible paint, rust and dirt.
Fig. 18 – Bottom plate for S wave.
Bottom plate “P wave”
Due to the mechanical design of this first version of the in-the-hole equipment, it is not suitable for P wave
detection.
N/A
Fig. 19 – Bottom plate for P wave.

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Remotely controlled wave generator
Remotely controlled wave generators and insulated trigger solutions are available on request, e.g. for sub-
sea use. Refer to separate documents for details.
3 Preparations
Please refer to the “Installation” chapter below and separate software manual for information about setting
up the equipment. Note that details may change depending on soil conditions, applicable standards and
end customer demands. Refer to separate manual for setting up the CPTU functionality.
Prepare and saturate the CPTU probe according to separate manual.
Cable from probe/cable adapter
The connection between the adapter and cable demands caution. Make sure that connectors fit to each
other properly before tightening the bolts. Before the other end of the cable is connected to the SCPT-GS2
Interface, the LEMO adapter should be mounted on the connector.
Fig. 20 – The connection between the cable and the seismic adapter: Make sure that connectors fit
to each other properly before tightening the bolts.